Eastern versus Western Culture

The cultures we study are divided in many ways. Geography and ideology are among the most common of these criteria. Typically Ancient Cultures are divided into Eastern and Western Civilizations. These distinctions are both regional and intellectual. Western Civilization is founded on the traditions, art and writing of Greece, Rome and the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East. The traditions of China and India are considered Eastern. The Ancient Americas, Australia and Africa generally do not fall into either tradition. Greek Creation MythIn the beginning there was an empty darkness. The only thing in this void was Nyx, a bird with black wings. With the wind she laid a golden egg and for ages she sat upon this egg. Finally life began to stir in the egg and out of it rose Eros, the god of love. One half of the shell rose into the air and became the sky and the other became the Earth. Eros named the sky Uranus and the Earth he named Gaia. Then Eros made them fall in love.

Uranus and Gaia had many children together and eventually they had grandchildren. Some of their children become afraid of the power of their children. Kronus, in an effort to protect himself, swallowed his children when they were still infants. However, his wife Rhea hid their youngest child. She gave him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, thinking it was his son.

Once the child, Zeus, had reached manhood his mother instructed him on how to trick his father to give up his brothers and sisters. Once this was accomplished the children fought a mighty war against their father. After much fighting the younger generation won. With Zeus as their leader, they began to furnish Gaia with life and Uranus with stars.

Soon the Earth lacked only two things: man and animals. Zeus summoned his sons Prometheus (fore-thought) and Epimetheus (after-thought). He told them to go to Earth and create men and animals and give them each a gift.

Prometheus set to work forming men in the image of the gods and Epimetheus worked on the animals. As Epimetheus worked he gave each animal he created one of the gifts. After Epimetheus had completed his work Prometheus finally finished making men. However when he went to see what gift to give man Epimetheus shamefacedly informed him that he had foolishly used all the gifts.

Source: Williams College.edu

Japanese Creation story

In the beginning, when the universe was created from the pre-existing chaos a number of kami ('gods' in this context) appeared spontaneously. Their relationships gave rise to a brother and sister; Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi means 'he who invites' and Izanami means 'she who invites'.

Izanagi and Izanami thrust a jewelled spear into the ocean, and the first land formed where the spear touched the water. This was the central island of Japan.

Izanagi and Izanami married and discovered sexual intercourse.

Their first child, Hiruko, was born deformed and later abandoned by his parents; legend says the deformity was caused because Izanami had spoken first in the sexual ritual.

The couple had sexual intercourse on several other occasions and their other offspring included the other islands of Japan and some of the kami.

Source: BBC.com\world religions.

Questions:

1. How are these accounts alike? In what ways do they differ? Do you think translating them into English in the 21st Century would have made them more alike or different?

2. Are these accounts realistic or symbolic? Explain.3. Why are no women mentioned in the Greek one?4. Why are people and the islands created first in the Japanese one?

Greek versus Indian Art

Greek Orthodox icon. Greece. Com

Shiva. Lord of the Dance. Wikipedia. Common media source.

Questions

1. In what ways are the two works alike? Different?2. What do they imply about the deities of the Christian and Hindu

traditions?3. What sort of ideas would the image of a circle imply in each?

Philosophy- East and West

And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: --Behold! human beings living in a underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.

I see. And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, others silent.

You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners. Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave?

True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?

And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows?

Yes, he said. And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them?

Very true. And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow?

Mit.edu/Plato/the Republic

Confucius said: "All men desire wealth and high status, but if these cannot

be achieved in accordance with the moral law, then they should not be accepted. All men hate poverty and low status, but if these cannot be avoided in accordance with the moral law, then they should be accepted. How can anyone who departs from virtue be considered a Chun-Tzu? A Chun-Tzu never departs from virtue, not even for the time of a single meal. When he acts in haste, he acts according to virtue. In times of trouble, he acts according to virtue."

Bergen.edu/the Analects of Confucius.

Questions

1. How do these accounts view people? 2. What sort of government does Plato want?3. What type does Confucius suggest?4. How would each look at modern Democracy?

Map of the World 1300s

Questions

1. In what was are the maps alike? Different?2. What does this tell you about Eastern and Western thinking?

Other art

Choose a work from Africa, the Americas or the Pacific.

Describe what it is.

How is this different from the art of Greece? China? Or India.